Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
How to give 100 percent. I often feel I don’t know how to give my 100 percent?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Do you want the answer?(Yes from the boy)
Do you really want the answer?
(Yes from the answer)
Do you 100 percent want the answer?
(Very Intense yes from the boy)
Really?
(Calm and Enthusiastic Yes from the boy)
See, you already have it.
Q:
What is the relation between meditation, sleep and dream?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have used three different words; you first tell me what definition do you have for these three?Meditation is when you are awake as well as relaxed.
You don’t know anything in deep sleep. Only after you wake up, you get to know that you were sleeping. And a dream is a dream. The experiences that you already have had, when those reflect again in your mind, your consciousness, that is dream.
Q:
Is it love or surrender when I feel your presence in meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Surrender with love. And that which happens with surrender is love.Q:
What to do when love, devotion and faith gets shaken?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is very good. It goes deeper when it is challenged, true love and devotion gets deeper. Testing times comes in everybody’s life. You pray and sometimes your prayers don’t get answered. 10 times you get what you wanted, and when 11th time you don’t get, you start complaining. Is it the case? (The boy said, “Yes, one of my friends ditched me and I am feeling intense pain”). That is when you pull on yourself. Keep on your practices. God is in every heart, everywhere, all around you, and inside you. He knows what is best for you and he will give you the best.That is why when you ask for something, ask this or something better.
Q:
You said Ashtavakra session has not ended and it continues. We had an unforgettable time here during these days. Please bless me so that I can come here when you have next Ashtavakra session.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Every step is complete. Whatever you have acquired is complete in itself. So, do not encourage any feeling of discontentment. Go back with contentment. You yourself are contentment.Q:
I am in all love and bliss here. Can you bless me to be always in this love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, this ‘always’ is the problem. Don’t try to hold on to the always. Take life as it comes. So what if all those clouds come for a moment. Your nature never goes and your nature is love. That cannot be changed.Q:
We are trying to reach to our seventh level of existence. Do we have to cross the all levels, or balance all to reach the self?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
They all exist simultaneously.Q:
Should one follow the visions that one has in deep meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You take it with a pinch of salt. Sometimes because of your own impressions, your own desires, or own fears, you have those visions. So, you cannot trust your vision 100 percent till you are totally hollow and empty.Q:
I am in a dilemma. I used to revere Guru Granth Sahib as my Guru. But after meeting you, I have found the inner joy which I was looking for. Now I am confused whether to have faith in you as a Guru, or in the Granth Sahib?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Where is the dilemma? Guru Granth Sahib is a very sacred scripture. One should definitely respect it. Guru is not a person; Guru is knowledge, whether it is in a scripture, a person, or consciousness. That Guru tattva is to be revered and believed in. Our mind only creates complication, otherwise there is no dilemma. Guru Granth Sahib contains the crux of all scriptures. So, respect the scripture. There is no question of choosing here.Mother is our first Guru.
School teacher is our second Guru.
Then music teacher is also a Guru.
And one who gives knowledge of the truth is Satguru.
When Guru tattva wakes up in life, it is not partially awakened, it stays completely. So, live naturally. Rejoice and live in love and joy.
Q:
When you are in front of us, you ask us to close our eyes and meditate, but we don't feel like even blinking our eyes (we want to keep seeing you). Don't laugh it off, devotees are perturbed.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Should I get you a mirror? Go within yourself and you find how beautiful you are.